with many others in his opinion of the real wants
of the rebel States. "What these regions need," said he, "above all
things, is not an easy and quick return to their forfeited rights in
the Union, but _government_, the strong arm of power, outstretched
from the central authority here in Washington, making it safe for the
freedmen of the South, safe for her loyal white men, safe for
emigrants from the Old World and from the Northern States to go and
dwell there; safe for Northern capital and labor, Northern energy and
enterprise, and Northern ideas to set up their habitation in peace,
and thus found a Christian civilization and a living democracy amid
the ruins of the past."

"It would seem," said Mr. Cullom, "that the men who have been
struggling so hard to destroy this country were and still are the
instruments, however wicked, by which we are driven to give the black
man justice, whether we will or no.

"By the unholy persistence of rebels slavery was at last overthrown.
Their contempt of the Constitutional Amendment, now before the
country, will place in the hands of every colored man of the South the
ballot."

The bill before the House was referred to the Committee on
Reconstruction by a vote of eighty-eight to sixty-five.

On the 4th of February, Mr. Williams, of Oregon, introduced into the
Senate "A bill to provide for the more efficient government of the
insurrectionary States," which was referred to the Committee on
Reconstruction.

[Illustration: Geo. H. Williams, Senator from Oregon.]

This bill, having been considered by the Committee, was adopted by
them, and was reported by their chairman to the House, on the 6th of
February, in the following form:

"_Whereas_, the pretended State Governments of the late
so-called Confederate States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana,
Florida, Texas, and Arkansas were set up without the
authority of Congress and without the sanction of the
people; and _whereas_ said pretended governments afford no
adequate protection for life or property, but countenance
and encourage lawlessness and crime; and _whereas_ it is
necessary that peace and good order should be enforced in
said so-called States until loyal and Republican State
Governments can be legally established: Therefore,

"_Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United Sta